Sunday, August 17, 2008

No to 90:10 (or 10:90)

Why stifle Democracy on radio? Our artistes, it seems, are always having to fight for their miserable share of the local music pie. Their current complaint is against the Indonesian artistes and local radio stations who appear to be favoring the foreigners by giving them more air time.

The people at Karyawan, who represent the local artistes, are now demanding that these local radio stations air local songs 90 per cent of the time and allow the Indonesians the remaining 10 per cent.

I am of the opinion that the 90:10 demand is ridiculous.

Don't stifle radio democracy (read Engku Emran - Part 1 and Part 2). I will listen to a radio station that knows how to give my ears a break. If a radio station airs Indonesian songs 90 per cent of the time, not even the Indonesians who live here would be happy to tune in to it. If it plays local songs 90 per cent of the time, I'm not going to listen to it.

p.s. I grew up on D'lloyds and Broery because they were damn good. Malaysians could not make the kind of music they were making.

But the Indonesians could not come near Ramli Sarip* even though Kamelia is Ebiet G. Ade's song. And Carefree, Alleycats, M. Nasir**, Headwind, Wings, Search, and Karyawan boss Freddie Fernandez's Revolvers -- we remember them and we listen to them because they make/made excellent music, not because the radio stations played their songs all the time.

By the way, I listen to Radja and Samsons, too. Most of the lady singers, Malaysian or Indonesian, sound the same (but not in a bad way). The ones I can tell immediately are Sheila Majid, Ella and Ning.

* and ** Ramli and M Nasir were made in Singapore, by the way.

61 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:57 pm

    Hey rocky - i am so excited that you posted something on radio. For someone that has been in the business for a long time - its nice to see some recognition...haha. The issue remains true - why radio stations play indon music? Rocky, one thing many people fail to understand is that radio stations rarely get to play what the want to play. We were told from the start, if you like a song, burn it on CD and listen to it in your own car, this radio station plays what the people want. Its soo strict. Many radio stations spend millions on research so we can find out what the masses want. Unfortunately - malaysian radio stations dont give a rats ass what foreigners in malaysia like (they are not calculated into our survey numbers), we select only those who fit the target and ask them to choose. Indon music comes to mind. From what i see - the govt has done something to shove malaysian music down our throats - and i must tell you that the station is doing very very well as well. Its called Xfresh FM and ONLY PLAYS malaysian made content. It would actually lose its license to broadcast if it played something international.
    What karyawan and all should do is to see why Malaysians are beginning to choose music of our neighbors rather than our own. Our production quality is still so BAD - we lack creativity (The old stuff from the 80's sound like the stuff we have now). The indon's moved out of the "tempurong" and had a great time, we still need Karyawan to speak for us? My point is - that there is a reason why Malaysian are moving, thats because we CRAVE for something new and different. Unfortunaly - Malaysian artist rarely see it that way.

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  2. Anonymous4:10 pm

    Oh Rocky ... I have that Broery n A.Nawab's LP too.
    Regards.

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  3. Anonymous4:59 pm

    Why blame the Indonesians artis?They make good, listenable songs.

    Why blame the radio stations for airing Indonesian songs? That is what their listerers want to hear.

    The local composers and artists should dish out good songs. They have given us some very good songs even better than the Indonesians. So what is the problem now?

    avalion

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  4. When it comes to music, the industry in Indonesia is thriving and world's apart from our own.

    But is this surprising? Not to me, when the environment for creativity is so stiffling, particularly for the Malay language artistes, where every related (and unrelated) agency on planet Malaysia wants to hone them and curb them according to perceived "norms".

    Contrast that to the (seemingly) minimal interference experienced by Indonesian artistes by their own government and people, allowing their artform to grow to the limits of their talent and imagination.

    The problem with the Malaysian music business is that it's become more of a business first, everything else more important (like quality) secondary. And it's in this mindset where calls for something ludicrous as a 90:10 rule comes from.

    Can protectionism really guarantee success? Perhaps Proton can answer that question...

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  5. Songs and stage of our life goes hand in hand. I could still remember when it was all P.Ramlee and Saloma. I love the beatles. Then comes the Broery and Sudirman. What now? 10:90 or 90:10? It is not a question of ratio, it is a question of personal satisfaction from whatever and wherever and whoever..

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  6. Anonymous5:58 pm

    Agree with you all the way here. When the Malaysian "artists" make better music, the air play will follow. Crap should not be given the time of day whether its local or foreign.

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  7. huh?

    Malaysian music industry is way suckier than Indonesian's lah...

    Malaysian likes quota ke?

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  8. Anonymous6:31 pm

    Dear all,

    I wonder if any of us notice that Taiwan and Hongkong are lapping up our Malaysian made songs and dishing out awards to our singers?

    These few years, Malaysians have been winning top singers and songwriting awards and topping record sales in Taiwan and Hongkong.

    Alas, such is proof that Malaysia industry players and authority are not doing what it should be doing to identity/retain/harvest such money making talents.

    Don't blame it on other country for monopolising markets. This is a result of Malaysia not knowing or putting efforts/care to explore the talents of its people.

    SHAKY

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  9. This is the NEP subsidy & 30% quota now gone completely wrong and coming home to roost!! This is why UITM dares not open up even a measly 10%.

    AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!

    Pink Floyd, Led Zep, Wonder, Hendrix,Jackson, Satchmo, Beatles, you name it, did not ask for a freebie let alone **##!!?? quotas.

    All the quotas in the world will not help you if your music is fcuked up. Can't they understand this simple rule?

    Get the music right and you can blow anyone away. Serve us 2nd hand crap and you are history before it happened!!
    http://donplaypuks.blogspot

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  10. errr.. Rocky, seriously T thought that you - yourself is a band member. Imagine this : You as the bassist, (Arwah) Farid the drummer, Syamsul Akmar the singer and all three of you would be legends just like KEMBARA... those long hairsss... hihihi

    Just joking ya... don't take heart tuan.
    from : you little friend - utusanlfc.blogspot.com

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  11. I concur. Rather than setting rules for the content of airplay, I would strongly suggest local artistes to study in which respect the Indonesian musicians are doing better than them (e.g., sound production quality, diversity in melody and chord progressions or types of genres adopted, etc.) and then commit themselves to the hard work of improving what they deliver. Drawing ideas from various other musical cultures (Brazil, Africa, France) can help enrich local music.

    Protective measures such at the '90:10' measure are not necessary and may even be counterproductive (complacency may set in) and unfair (the public may be dished more of the same unimaginative fare).

    p.s. Zainal Abidin of Headwind is an interesting Malaysian musician in his own right. I remember enjoying his early solo albums.

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  12. Anonymous6:57 pm

    Datin Seri Rosmah, the DPM's wife, has released a disc with several local songstresses, including Siti, I think.

    Maybe Karyawan wants to score points la here, to force our local deejays to play her songs more often.

    I haven't listened to any of her songs, have you Rocky?

    Any comments, Freddy Fernandes?

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  13. Anonymous7:05 pm

    Yes bro...i agree...we should also 'music blind' if we can use this term...

    Ebiet, Sweet Charity, Ramli Sarip, Search, Lefthanded, Rhoma Irama, M. Nasir all have their fan here.

    'Berita Kepada Kawan'

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  14. Anonymous8:05 pm

    Hahahaha .... another joke from Malaysia ...

    Please note that their music market is very huge, so they (with or without) our market can grow further ..

    Yos F

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  15. Rock 80an sememangnya dihati saya walaupun jarang berkumandang di radio. Sekali-sekala mendengarnya rasa happy.

    Tidak semestinya selalu berkumandang di radio semua akan meminati sampai bila2.

    Teringat lagu 'Rindu-rindu serindu-rindunya' dahulu yang selalu berkumandang di radio. Memang meletup. Tapi adakah dia diingati?

    Saya muak dengan lagu tu

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  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. Anonymous8:28 pm

    If the Malaysian singers were good they will have no problem penetrating Indonesian market. Have they done any promotion and marketing of their albums in Indonesia? If they haven't done that, don't complaint. Some Malaysians have done well in Indonesia; Siti Nurhaliza, Joe Too Phat, Search etc.

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  18. semua... pasal duit je..

    artis malaysia... nakkan royalti dari siaran lagu... [nak harap jualan album... tak balik modal...]
    syarikat radio... nak kan iklan...


    satu pertanyaan kepada orang-orang dalam industri muzik...

    kenapa mahal sangat satu cd lagu?? kena tak buleh nak jual lima belas ringgit?? sekeping cd... paling mahal yang kualiti... baru seringgit... berapa banyak nak untung atas jualan sekeping cd???

    sebab tu orang lebih suka mencuri... memuat turun saja lagu dari internet... sekeping cd mp3 buleh muat sepuluh album... macam mana nak lawan?? kalau masih nak jual mahal... macam bunuh diri lah... negara ni bukan ambil berat sangat soal cetak rompak/harta intelek...

    macam lagu indonesia pula... mereka bukan bagus sangat pun, tapi pasal dah dimain setiap hari... lama-lama jadi sedap pulak... cam dengar lagu cina [bg orang melayu la..] memula tu... tah hapa-hapa... bila dah lama... sedap jugak dengar...

    satu lagi... maaf... sejak kemunculan artis segera ni... macam hampeh je... banyak yang merosakkan industri... terlalu ramai penyanyi, tapi tidak berkualiti...

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  19. I am Indonesian ..

    I can't understand why your music industry "afraid" to compete with us. Please note that there are no "restriction" to your music in Indonesia.... So, show it to the world .... they will listen and buy it if your music is "good" and "acceptable" in the market ...

    In Indonesia (for this case).. we make it easy and simple:

    "If you don't like Indo's music ... Don't buy their CDs and/or attend their concert in Malaysia .."

    Please don't make me and other Indonesians "laugh" on this ...

    Begitu aja kok repot ....Wakakakakak

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  20. Anonymous9:29 pm

    I TOTALLY agree with you bro ! The Indonesians are great song writers and singers. But having said that, we do have our own. You have given a good list of them.

    Can our present local artist stop moaning and groaning about 'ruang' and all that crap !
    Start coming up with some good music --and the market is yours ! As it is, can you blame the market for going for Dewa 19 ?



    Mr. As-long-as-there-is-good-music.

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  21. Bro,

    Bila bab music, I don't care - lagu org asli pun menarik!

    Main je la apa2 lagu pun, asal pendengar suka sudah la. Kalau pasang berkali2 pun, kalau org muak, tak guna juga.

    Saya ada 3 keping LP lagu raya, teringin nak spin dekat2 nak raya nanti. Harap2 turntable saya siap la dlm bulan puasa ni. Teringin nak cue "Dendang Perantau" bila tinggal jauh dr M'sia ni.

    Anakbuah

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  22. Yes, Yes, Yes Rocky! Brilliant comment! You have my vote here.

    It's ridiculous to put such limitation. It's whether you have them or you don't. Anyway, we don't produce that many which can become hits to occupy 365 days in a year. Don't tell me that our artists are not up to the competition to better improve themselves and to excel. Maybe we have our good ones because of the existence of good foreign songs to compete with.

    "No to 90:10 (or 10:90)"!!!

    And I say NO TO HARIS PETITION too.

    http://sexyjudge.blogspot.com/2008/08/no-to-haris-petition.html

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  23. Anonymous12:52 am

    Bro,

    Malaysian artistes and songwriters ni kena admit lah dia orang dah terlalu jauh ketinggalan. Dulu-dulu siapa dapat lawan Search, Wings, Lefthanded, Headwinds, M Nasir, Ramli Sarip etc. Lagi Isabella dari Search pernah jadi kegilaan di Indonesia. Siti Nurhaliza pun ternama di Indonesia. Siapa cakap lagu kita tak diminati di luar negara selain tempatan.
    Namun mutu lagu kita di Malaysia ni dah jauh jatuh. Dah tak indah lagi. Tak tak ada makna. Tak berkualiti. Yang meningkat ialah gosip, gaduh kat pub/disco, kahwin suami orang, cerai etc.
    Aku bukan Melayu tapi aku minat ratusan lagu Melayu sejak zaman P Ramlee lagi.
    Aku lihat penulis lagu semacam kehilangan idea. Buntu ker aper?
    What those in the local music fraternity should do is to rejuvenate their thinking. Get more new ideas, be creative and most importantly don't be afraid to compete internationally. jangan jadi macam Proton yang perlukan perlindungan dah lah.
    Lagi satu Bru, artistes mee segera ni dah ramai sangat. Baru buat satu album dah buat hal. Ada yang belum buat album pun dah jadi tajuk berita. Apa nak jadi ni?

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  24. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK RADIO STATIONS AND DEEJAYS!

    Do what's best for your listeners, or you'll lose them otherwise. That is the market demand. For great music. Unless you have'em you might as well pack your bags.

    RTM can play 100% Malaysian songs for all I care. If they are good and fresh, we'll listen and buy the CDs. If they are rubbish, why should we satisfy the so-called music authorities and blind supporters of Malaysian music?

    The problem lies not with the Indonesians and their music,but from us within.

    Music is NOT about being patriotic.
    It's about taste. Good taste at that.

    Indonesian music spread are much more creative and has a great range. They offer a lot more variety and colors.

    Can we say the same for our own?

    Did the American stations stop playing good songs just because it's from the UK and vice-versa?

    They all got aired because they were good, not because of that they have sailed across from a far-away England or from the great US of A!

    Why can't our music industry learn and take this scenario as a challenge to create better music, instead of crying baby?

    Indonesians I must say have a good taste in music, and their standards are far higher than ours. Take our Malaysian Idols and compare them to theirs. Take our products of Akademi Fantasia and compare them to the Indonesian equivalent. As sick as it might sound, we are far behind.

    But, there have been a few exceptions to our own stars too. Sheila Majid, Amy Search, and Siti Nurhaliza were among the very few who really have made inroads into that market, during their rightful times.

    It goes to show that if you make good music, it'll go anywhere.

    Since the private stations come into play in Malaysia, the market scenario for radio has changed. For the better of course, not having to listen to the likes of Tok Mat of old and his guards at Angkasapuri.

    Karyawan, whom the boss Freddie Fernandez is also a friend of mine should really create programmes and encourage Malaysian musicians to creatively fly farther and higher. To work beyond the norm. To understand the market tastes, need and trends. To walk with times.

    Work with the Indonesians if need be. Collaborate on a long term basis for the continued benefit of the music industries around this region. Or Malay based music so to speak.

    We are behind them indeed, and we have a lot to learn. Still.

    The Indonesians worked so very hard for their music. While Malaysians have got the most modern, huge and up-to-date studios, they (the Indonesians)are better craftsmen. I myself have a lot of Indonesian musician and artiste friends, I can vouch for that.

    But first, we must learn to identify and accept our own shortcomings.

    Only then we can move forward.

    Once we have good music in abundance, only then we'll have 100% support for a 100% effort from our own guys.
    Because we just might not have enough time for the rest.

    Just might.

    What good is the term "Music is universal" if we can't even sell it to our own backyard.

    Now, let's talk about going international at a much later date.

    Once again, I salute our radio stations. And just stick to your guns guys!

    YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!

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  25. Anonymous1:44 am

    Engku Emran & Co have said: We are running a commercial radio station business. So Karyawan members must also comply with the basic rule of the music business: Every song must be a hit, OK ... Wali Kota

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  26. Anonymous1:48 am

    semua nak senang saja, nak orang protect....sampai bila la nak maju orang malaysia nih?

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  27. Anonymous1:59 am

    Enuf la of quotas.... Local artiste, if you can't take the heat than too bad. there are lots of unknowns who become big even without getting promoted by radio stations.

    Lop

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  28. Anonymous2:05 am

    Nice touch with the oldies pics, especially the late Broery Marantika and Ahmad Nawab LP sleeve shot.

    I agree with you - good stuff is good stuff.


    - Abang Maimon.

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  29. Malaysian Muslin artists cannot survive without Indonesian fans supporting them.
    And most of them are on drugs 20 years ago. I hope they have changed now.
    Malaysian UMNO govt. knows...if Indon are freely allowed into Malaysia.... Malaysian muslim artists cannot compete with Indon art and craft..especially quality in presenting a song..by singing with an original personality. Previously......Malaysians singers sound better......because of the better high quality expensive musical instruments. Most Malaysian artists are copycats.
    Yes...I idolisd Broery...died too young. ...once married to Anita Sarawak...a Singaporean..not a Malaysian....as many thinks she is.
    Democracy with our radio stations?
    In everything...from sports to schools...there is politics involve.....and our music industry sucks.....because it is again mixed up with so call right religious way to sing or dress....giving no freedom of expressions.
    Yes...we must be be too crude and vulgar...but even the slightest nice way of dressing...is considered vulgar by by these religious fanatics.....keep wanting the muslims...to be like Talibans.

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  30. I can never forget...Frankie Cheah and I were so thrilled...listening to the rare voice...admiring the height and look of Jamal Abdullah..at age 17...singing.
    Frankie immediately..signed him for WEA.
    Few years later..I asked.......how's Jamal? He felt so sad...saying....that guy must live on drugs.
    Jamal could have been Malaysia greatest Muslim singer of all times....like Broery...to Indonesia.
    Then one old friend..a fat man..forgot his name off hand..struck it rich..being a millionaire...few times over...by being Surdiman's manager....but his luck ran out..as Surdiman died ...too young.
    You see...he also need to invest millions....to get back millions..but his singer died too soon.....so that man .died a pauper too.

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  31. Anonymous3:26 am

    excuse me
    just listen without prejudice, and do not prejudge.
    Local music and musicians are getting better.
    I have begun to notice them, unfortunately this is just recently.
    Maybe finaly i grew up, away from being "aiyiah this local one no good mentality"
    malaysian transit in frankfurt

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  32. Anonymous4:45 am

    Bro,

    Believe it,
    In music industry.there are uppers scale and lower scale,depends how we defined it.
    To compare to Indo music industry since zaman Bing Selamat,Tia Ramon,Ernie Johan,Titik Puspha etc.etc,the Malaysian music industry need to buckup.
    Even allahyarham Johar Bahar our prominent leading conductor was from Indon.As to compare Idris Sardi The Mestro still I am waiting for our protege apart of Allahyarham Hamzah Dolmat in a class of his own.
    Indonesia music and film industry grows without any restraint order.
    What ever gender of music be it Jazz,pop,Pop Islamic,keroncong,Melayu Deli,Hip Hop,ska,blues,even classic of gemelan,it grows and blended well.Artisan in Indonesia grow with fear or favour.
    Iwan Fals are good example.A street busker turn a music philotropist like Setiawan Jodi,Sawang Juno are social activist.Back by a strong presence of poet for strong lyric of W.S Rendra.
    Art grow for the art sake in Indonesia.Thus,till this days,able producers like Edwin Gutawan,is a class of its own able to produce quality for the ready market.
    Social orentation for aspirating wannbe singers has to face crowd orentation of various ethich group from Achen till Nusa Tenggara.
    It order to do it they have to be the best.
    Futher,the strong bondage among muscian of Indonesia is 'BAHASA INDONESIA'enggak ada Bulek dong!

    That what make the music industry strong and dynamic.Music evolve fast and the quantity of pools of Indonesia musician are ample.
    Have a look on the street of Jakarta or Jogja along Maliboro St.

    We are yet to set of music industry right.Take for example our ASK before the mood was contempolary but now the emphisis is tradisional.Jes in a matter of changing the minister in charge of the portfolia the beat change.I say let is be a Music School and what ever music which is pleasing to the ears.The boys are naturally talented,dont dictate but push the follow with the help of able and capable and wiiling teacher to develop the malaysia music industry grow.
    Am am yet waiting for our home grown music conductor,conducting The London Philharmonic Orkestra playing with the background of the real A Famosa with line up of TS SM Salim,Pak Idris Sardi,Ramli Sarip,M.Nasir,Mia Velencia,Farid Ali,Dato Sharipah Aini(only the
    oties).Something like the concert held at Taj Mahal,India and The Forbidden City,Beijing and Athens by Vanni The Mestro.

    Kitaro as a guset artist will be a bonus.

    Firm,Malaysian music industry has to buck up!

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  33. just shut malaysia off from everything then. no foreign investment no nothing.

    stay under the tempurung forever. stupid.

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  34. Anonymous7:56 am

    Bro Monty,

    Managed to rummage thru old cassetes just now and listened to that BAKAT RTM taping and listened to Jamal's .... he rendered Wan Ibrahim's beautiful composition Senandong Semalam with Malam Pesta??? as the 2nd song. During the prelim he fancied Eddy Silitongga songs ... he,he, this singer from where ??? I also taped the exclusive interview with him after winning the BAKAT. I know from the beginning its going to be phenomenal. ... next followed by Sept Five. Have forgotten that they are of the same year.

    Last met Wan Ibrahim,a polished flautist, about 2 decades ago with his beautiful wife. They were together since college. If I am not mistaken, she was the Model of The Year during her time. They both WERE with RTM.

    P/S That old friend fat man was MB.

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  35. Anonymous8:00 am

    rocky, i think the mistake is being made by our corporate companies especially GLC Companies. for example, CELCOM always sponsor indonesia band!!! Now, there are 1 day entertainment from indonesia band and singer. I think that we are staying in indonesia because even RTM & Media Prime provide more indonesia programs!!!!

    zamri bss

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  36. Anonymous9:34 am

    The `solution' seems to be simple enough, judging from the comments I've read here and at Engku Emran's blog: If Malaysian artistes produce better songs, then their works will sell like hot popiah and have no problem with radio air-time. With this, no need for the proposed 90-10 quota then.

    So why don't they do just that?

    BTW, this is not a hypothetical question; with some `witty solution' from me following. Nor am I being sarcastic towards our local industry, although it might seem like it.

    The truth is, I sure as heck don't know.

    However, that shouldn't stop me from masquerading as a music industry expert here too, with my own opinions and conjectures ... just hoping I don't look like an ignorant fool (but still with a big mouth) too much:-)

    If things are that simple, every recording company, artiste and his/her second aunt would come up with a high-quality song every month, at least. But they CAN'T - for the simple fact that there are not enough good songs composed.

    IMHO I feel that the lack of quality composers is the main reason here.

    It's true that things like the artiste's personality or aura or that so-called "X-Factor" is crucial. And that technical stuff like recording, sound mixing etc, plus that important matter of marketing all play a role too.

    But how far can a singer go when the song composed is crap?

    So why aren't we composing great songs for the artistes to sing?

    I don't know the answer to this one either.

    Enough of trying to `analyse' ... A few of my (recent) favourite songs are Sembilu Kasih (Ziana Zain); Tak Tercapai Akal Mu (Elyana) ...

    Ah, I also remember Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall ... Bob Dylan's songs ...

    "They're not local artistes", some helpful soul here might point out. So what about it? I'm only after GOOD MUSIC (or at least according to what my ears AND brain say) - I don't care about the nationality or religion of the person singing it.

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  37. 1 I love songs and music ever since I was very young; all the Indonesian singers you mentioned are all my favourites too. right from D'lloyds and Broery to Radja and Samsons. However, being I am much older now and appreciating the negative effects of much of those present type of songs and their music, especially those presently coming or copied from the West which most times are full of vulgarity, indecency and lewdness as per their video clip presentations. I tend to believe that indeed music and songs are a very destructive influence on our teenagers, perhaps an effective tool used by the US administration (through their ownership of the big media and music companies) to spread their kind of greater freedom and liberty.

    2 With songs and music having a strong lineage as a Haram trade/ activity, by right as a Muslim I should not give a damn about the ratios suggested. However being part of the local community, I tend to support Karyawan if it helps the bulk of our local artists to survive as a livelihood compared against the Indonesian community which has a market size of more than 10 times ours.

    3 The imposition of such ratios has only a limited effect. An Indonesian singer and his/ her song once it’s catchy and soothing to a music lover’s ears at a single instance will become easily popular amongst Malaysian (please exclude the likes of the queen dangdut). There are so many mediums around, from electronic gadgets to the channels available from the web to listen and record such popular songs besides being available for purchase the songs or their karaoke version at the various music outlets. I sometimes observe my teenage kids copying their favourite songs into their laptops or thumb drives using blue tooth etc.; it’s so simple and accessible nowadays.

    4 We need to be more concern in addressing the music’s negative influence on our younger generation who easily prone to melepak, merempit and the decay of our younger generation via illicit sex, lust, drugs, hooliganism, crave for easy money, etc and of course forgetting daily prayers and other religious obligations.

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  38. Bro saya sokong anda. I also grew up with Broery Marantika, The Mercy's, D'Lloyd in my head. The airtime ratio is rubbish, it does no body any good.

    What is killing the local music industry are local pirates who pedal their cheap low quality cd to the gullible public, this in the long run will kill the local music scene no matter how good our singers, songwriters or musicians are.

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  39. Rocky,
    Can someone enlighten me ?. Why is Malaysia's mentality as such.
    If you cannot compete with others then you need to buck yourself up.

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  40. Yes bro. Dannalli...the late..Mike Bernie!!

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  41. Anonymous11:15 am

    Bro,

    our radio stations are rubbish. i'm not against local artists, i do listen to alleycats, uji rashid, sharifah aini and those in 70s.

    but i prefer muscle and experimental music very much like purple, sabbath, zeppelin, budgie, mountain, hendrix, beck, thin lizzy, wishbone ash etc.

    i don't need a radio to listen to these music scientists.

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  42. Nostrdamus Predictions on Possibilities In Malaysia.
    Ramalan Nostradamus atas Kemungkinan-kemungkinan di Malaysia.

    1. Is it possible that DSAI wins the Permatang Pauh elections and become the next Chief Minister of Penang as a stepping stone to becoming Prime Minister?
    Adakah mungkinnya DSAI memenangi pilihan raya Permatang Pauh dan menjadi Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang sebelum menjadi Perdana Menteri?

    2. Is it possible that DSAB resign as PM of Malaysia after the Permatang Pauh elections and handover to DSNTR earlier than expected?
    Adakah mungkinnya DSAB meletak jawatan sebagai PM Malaysia selepas pilihan raya Permatang Pauh dan menyerahkannya kepada DSNTR lebih awal dari jangkaan?

    3. Is it possible that UMNO and PKR will combine to form a new party?
    Adakah mungkinnya UMNO dan PKR akan bergabung untuk membentuk sebuah parti baru?

    4. Is it possible that all other component parties of BN without UMNO will combine with PKR to form a new party?
    Adakah mungkinnya parti-parti komponen BN lain kecuali UMNO akan bergabung dengan PKR untuk membentuk sebuah parti baru?

    5. Is it possible that PKR and PAS will combine to form a new party?
    Adakah mungkinnya PKR dan PAS akan bergabung untuk membentuk sebuah parti baru?

    6. Is it possible that PKR, DAP and HINDRAF will combine to form a new party?
    Adakah mungkinnya PKR,DAP dan HINDRAF akan bergabung untuk membentuk sebuah parti baru.

    7. Is it possible that TDM and all other Little Napoleons knows of these possibilities and are preparing to migrate?
    Adakah mungkinnya TDM dan semua “Little Napoleons” mengetahui kemungkinan-kemungkinan ini dan sedang bersedia untuk berhijrah?

    To be continued…….
    Akan disambung……

    http://patek1472.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Right now......the best female singer is Ning!
    Look ....she was chosen to sing duet with Julio Iglesias...in Malaysia...years ago.
    Unfortunately.....in Malaysia..skill is not enough.
    It is who you know and not what you are good at..to be successful....under UMNO government.
    Alleycats would have been fithy rich...if thety are not Malaysian Indians.
    And the best musical people in Malaysia ....are the Eurasians.......not the Malays.
    How many are spotted by the UMNO government...to be promoted as great musicians? No matter how great...as long as not Malay..he/she can go to hell.
    And Singapore cannot survive without Malaysian Chinese.....by the thousands.. going there to seek jobs....because UMNO do play race in employing staffs..
    So you see..our music industry sucks...because of UMNO.
    I wonder where is my very old friend...Johari Salleh. Is he still with RTM??
    He also suffered discriminations....before being promoted.
    The one person....I can never forget is that lovable wonderful soul...P.Ramlee...who will talk to you...while composing as sing in his head.
    Syed Nasir used to ride on a motor bike...back to Setepak Garden....with his trumpet..or is it M.Nasir???
    One great trumpeter...I know as "Gus".....used to play ....at Bukit Bintang cabaret. I used to buy him a beer...to chat with him. He really can blow a great horn....by Malaysian standard.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Anonymous12:31 pm

    like music like films/dramas.
    malaysian movies/films/dramas are crap. all centres around love, family feuds, bad moral values etc.
    we are no where near the hong kong movies. hollywood standards? dream on.
    music pun sama saja.
    btw, just who or which artiste is complaining?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Anonymous12:31 pm

    like music like films/dramas.
    malaysian movies/films/dramas are crap. all centres around love, family feuds, bad moral values etc.
    we are no where near the hong kong movies. hollywood standards? dream on.
    music pun sama saja.
    btw, just who or which artiste is complaining?

    ReplyDelete
  46. Anonymous1:05 pm

    Salaam, Pak Rocky

    I honestly don't see why you are getting so worked up about this 90:10 proposal.

    Not when the Vice-Chancellor of UiTM thinks that it is perfectly reasonable for his institution to admit only ethnic Malays and the indigeneous races.

    No 90:10 policy for UiTM. Never mind that it is a public university that is 100 per cent funded by the government (that is public funds which, by definition, should benefit ALL Malaysians, regardless of race or religion).

    Do you see where I am going with this?

    You cannot dismiss quotas in one area and support it in another.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Anonymous1:22 pm

    why does everybody thinks that we cannot compete with the indonesians?

    The Malaysian are asking for a level playing field here. The indonesians so easily getting the airplay, coverage, touring concert et al, while ours struggling. When our musician ask for better setup for concert we are being ridicule---by the promoters.

    Do you think the indonesian give a rat's ass to our artise?--- they are the ones so protective. Yes, they have great musician but so do we. Not all of their music that seeps through here are so good either. If they can impose a lot of restriction before our artiste ca get air play, why can't we.

    Our government and the mullahs also do not help either. With restriction and blaming almost all vice to be originating from music. Music is a performing arts, if new kids trying to find breaks cannot perform without police raid----then how. And the uni students get a life man, sand stop picketing everytime there's a concert being held.

    We have great composers and writers and arrangers, its just everybody is just tired of the music scene with all the restriction and things that does not help to cultivate an industry that's worth getting into anymore. The people that did the work are not recognised.

    Don't just be blinded with pop culture---- because if you really look Malaysia do possess great artiste and musician, it's just that you have to really look hard, then you will find them in truckoads

    p/s a lot of their songs are ripoff anyways,Dewa's songs sounds like Queen's ripoff to name one

    tombak

    ReplyDelete
  48. To bro rocky,

    What is the difference btwn indo' writer and malaysia write..Malaysia write always make an original music where as Indo music like to copycat from International music than make lirik suit to indo listener. Dont believe ask Dewa 19, nidji and bla22222.......

    But the prob with malaysian is they dont have JATI DIRI everything international is great. Nevermind one day we want foreigner to rule this country...becoz sounds that they are better than us.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I read last year a book on Malaysian Cinema, basically its decline from the heyday of P Ramlee and the Shaw Brother.

    One major reason is that the Indonesian closed their market.

    I believed it is a similar issue.

    Why are we not defending the interest of our artistes?

    Did Emran asked wife, Erra Fazira's opinion yet?

    ReplyDelete
  50. Anonymous6:01 pm

    Rocky, this is a very enlightening piece. I am a fan of D'Loyd too. My friend will always 'perli' me as during D'Loyd's fame I was not even born. But what can I do, I prefer music with sound lyrics rather than "My Hump, My Hump, My Hump".

    ReplyDelete
  51. Anonymous7:17 pm

    rocky, i began the 90:10 comments in the cari forum, and also published in my blog the very same night the forum was held. many were pissed by what i had to say, but i stand my ground. this is bull, and people wanna hide behind the quota system despite churning out substandard material, for their own benefit of MACP royalties, despite the fact that it's like cutting off your own nose to spite your face. block the indonesian music market... who stands to lose?
    i challenge the local music industry to go for quality to fight against the current crop of indonesian hitmakers. you don't have be be a musical nazi. you just have to win the hearts of listeers who don't want repeated crap.
    these are my points, and i am glad a lot of people have been throwing their support behind me including songwriters and composers as well sas lyricists who are the ones not gaining from this demand. political agenda exists in the local music industry too, and i think the move is pretty obviously one for those who know what's going on in the business.

    this is part of the argument i posted on my blog on the issue.

    So do I agree with the memorandum? Generally... yes. I want to see the survival of the music business here, and the rejuvenation of it so hopefully at some point, we bounce back to being the musical powerhouse we were decades ago.
    But smalam, panas tul hati aku bila ada yang stok bodoh bangang ni yang besuara.
    The issue : lagu luar.
    Tapi tetiba ada yang sebut Indon maid la... dan sebagainya. I am a proud Malaysian. But I want to be proud of all things Malaysian, not by putting down others.
    Here is a collection of some points that ran thorugh my mind, as well as 'tercirit' dari mulut aku about the whole Malaysia against the world (specifically Indonesia) when it comes to music.

    DO WE HAVE ENOUGH MATERIAL?
    Walaupun kita punyai ramai artis, to force 90% quota is almost worrying. Aku cakap ni sebab at the end of the day, it's for sure yang stok sampah yang tak layak on air pun sibuk nak promosi lagu memasing memeningkan kita.
    With lesser competition among local artists, aku bayangkan yang sora sombang, lagu bosan dan production tahap rakam dalam bilik air pun leh masuk radio sebab nak cukupkan quota.

    QUALITY?
    Which brings us to issue of quality. Apa definition of what is quality. We have a lot of singers, who should most probably look for alternative employment, but they insist they have something to offer.
    What is the far reaching impact of crap demanding air time now that there is more space to play with.

    DEFINITION
    What makes a song a lagu luar? The artist? Camtuh The Lima for one patut takleh kuar lagu la. Ke nak ikut definasi AIM yang meka yang sign to Malaysian label kira Malaysian?
    Abih lagu yang ditulis komposer luar tapi sung by our artists? Sebab kalao ikut definasi atas yang di keluarkan AIM, not eligible gak. But tuh tuk competition and this is airplay. Still... amazing how rules can differ can without standards for this music industry...
    The more rules, the more the definitions needed....so tiresome.

    ENFORCEMENT
    Skang pun quota 60:40 takde enforcement. Kat forum tadi ada yang bising pasal Hot FM yang main culprits dalam isu membanjiri market with and ramai yang bertepuk dan bersorak tanda menyokong.
    Kalao benar ada radio station yang tidak mengikuti syarat ni, kenapa tak wat something to enforce it?
    What is the difference? Baik enforce yang ada skang sebelum nak up kan quota lagik.

    NO WAY OUT
    Kenapa ramai bising, lupa lak yang station macam x-fresh meka pandang remeh sedangkan x-fresh mainkan 100% lagu Malaysia.
    Sebenarnya meka nak yang bebetul ada 'coverage' in Era dan Hot.
    But someone forgot why these stations naik in the first place. By giving their listeners what they want - which includes some popular Indonesian songs.

    BLAME
    Yang disebut lagu luar. Tapi ada malaun asik sebut lagu Indonesia, artis Indonesia.
    I mean honestly. Kenapa asik nak salahkan Indonesians?
    Dulu meka agungkan artis kita, sampai pihak berkuasa wat perangai sama cam sesetengah orang sini skang, nak kurangkan lagu Malaysia di radio Indonesia.
    Tapi tetap Search dan Wings menjadi inspirasi ramai rockers masa tu di seberang.
    They learnt. And grew.
    Kira tak syok sendiri like some people here, and almost two decades later, kita da ketinggalan.
    Pas ni nak salahkan sapa?
    Singapore da mula masuk tapi takde yang bising? Ahli Fiqir, Imran Ajmain, Taufik batisah, Hady Mirza, Aliff Aziz.... Nak tunggu meka ni dominasi dulu baru nak kecoh?
    Lepas ini nak salahkan siapa?
    Nak tunggu ada Pesta Malam Philippines?
    Cuba kita salahkan diri kita sendiri sebab muzik kita ketinggalan dan anggap sebagai cabaran tuk memperjuangkan reformasi dalam muzik Malaysia.

    GROWTH
    Aku pelik kenapa orang cepat sangat salahkan especially muzik Indonesia. Kalao bukan kerana Indonesian bands opening the door to the more to appreciate another brand of rock selain rock kapak dan rock leleh, ada ke anak muda kita leh appreciate bands like Meet Uncle Hussein, Hujan or even Estranged, all of which cross over from the indie or underground scene.
    Kids today learnt to appreciate another brand of rock thanks to these influences.

    WHO LOSES?
    Siapa yang rugi dalam bab nak main close market kita pada orang luar. Kang orang balas balik kat kita close up market kat kita camna?
    Album pun takleh jual sini... A top artist dari negara kita leh jual something like 50,000 plus ngan heavy promotion and lots of hits. However when they take their product to Indonesia, they can sell about more than double there.
    Sampai bila nak kita jadik juara kampung ni nak gaduh pasal market kita yang nan ado? nih?

    WHO DO WE REALLY BLAME?
    I would blame recording companies. Dulu masa kita ok, syarikat rakaman keluarkan memacam artis sampah yang nan ado sora atau bakat.
    Then pastu malas lak. Tanak cari pembaharuan. Semua nak tiru format orang lain asalkan orang lain pernah berjaya.
    Tu sebab ingat tak time Siti meletop, ramai lak klon yang muncul tetiba pasaran kita penuh ngan sora semua ala ala Siti jerk.
    Hasil perangai meka sendiri, skang nak raung akibatnya.

    RELEVANCE
    The problem with this industry is ramai yang syok sendiri. Aku salute dan respect setiap orang dalam industri ni because everyone ada sumbang something to the growth and development of it.
    But without naming names. Kalao muzik seseorang tu, 20 tahun tak berubah, pastu kalao orang nak beli nak marah lak kata orang tak menghargai.
    Dude! Kalao Elvis was alive pun silap silap dia pun da wat hip hop!
    So the bottomline is some artists da tak relevan masih nak demand tempat di hati peminat. Justify it, bitches!
    Aku respect people like Siti Nurhaliza, M. Nasir yang evolve dan berubah mengikut peredaran zaman walaupun maintain pendirian meka, as well as their sound and flavour.

    WILL THE 90:10 HELP OUR INDUSTRY?
    I doubt it. Radio menentukan ke trends? Some people think so. Tapi how many songs do you know yang play over again yang ko suka, tapi kena repeat sampai rasa telinga nak melecet (leh ker?)
    You know what I mean. Played to death sebab hit sangat kononnnya.
    Lagikpon, aku tau ada artis yang lagu berapa ketul yang hit abih punya lagu, tapi jualan album nan ado!

    CHANGE
    I think a lot has to do about attitude. Ramai orang dalam industri kita emotional dan bising tak abih abih. Tapi usaha tetap takde.
    What was the last CD you bought of a local artist? How many do you have in your collection?
    Think about it.
    Aku kalao bebetul koleksi lama aku ada banyak. Ella, Sheila Majid, Ning Baizura, Ekamatra, BPR, Febians dan sebagainya.
    The current batch? Malas nak sebut tapi a handful yang aku sanggup kuar duit sendiri je.

    DICTATORSHIP
    So what happens when orang nak paksa korang dengar apa meka nak ko dengar?
    Will you layan anyway? Or will you change the station atau layan medium lain saja tuk dapat apa ko nak?

    WHO GAINS
    Siapa yang untung dari hal ni. Meka yang gain dari royalties from airplay la. Dalam kes ni, sure a few people will make more money. But will it benefit people in this business as of whole?
    Entahlah...

    PROFESSIONALISM
    Kenapa la fokus tak lebih pada being professional in this field?
    Sini, artis dieksplotasi cam sial... kesian lak tengok. Ko tengok la sana sini show free... tour tuh ni la.. by radio stations, TV stations, papers dan sebagainya.
    Artis dibayar murah atas dasar promosi.
    Tapi ikut jer takot kena gam.
    Masa tu tak bising lak nak bersuara hak artis. Kalao nak lawan 'orang luar'; berani lak bersuara.
    Pastu da la bayar murah bersepah, kalao di tayangkan TV live event, takde lak special broadcasting arrangement for bayaran lebihan. Sehinanya artis Indonesia pada sesetengah orang kita, meka lebih profesional because mereka sehati sejiwa dan sepakat memperjuankan hak mereka.
    Artis kita banyak yang takut nak fight for anything atas dasar, 'let someone else fight for it'.
    So many issues, and they pick the one that perhaps, should not exactly be a priority with perhaps the least results.

    BUSINESS
    Cakap punya cakap, semua nak jaga kepentingan sendiri. Yes... it's a business. But why should people care about just your needs. Radio stations need advertisers, and advertisers need listenership.
    Bottomline semua nak pikat pendengar.
    Dan kalao apa yang diberikan dikehendaki pendengar, kenapa orang lain lak nak rasakan meka nih berhak untuk memaksa orang mengubah selera.

    EDUCATION
    People always talk about how orang kita kena ubah mentality.
    I say our music community kena ubah mentality. Times change. You change with it, or get left behind. That's a fact. Grow up... accept it.
    Popshuvit takde pun publisit meluas kat radio, tapi antara artis kita yang paling berjaya nun di luar sana.
    Artis cam Nicholas Teo dan Fish Leong yang orang kita sendiri tak kenal. But they have more fans and sell lots of albums. Kenapa artis yang spoon fed everything pun nak bising instead of making an effort.

    I could go on and on, but bottomline is this - WE HAVE TO CHANGE. Not force others to. Make music people love. Not force people to love what you choose to put out.
    A producer once told me - kalao nak buat music tuk puaskan diri sendiri, then record dan layan sendiri jerk. Kalao nak wat album, make sure it sells.
    The ideal would be able to make music you love and people love. But hey... nothing's perfect. Deal with it.
    So anyway, what's my stand after all that?
    Tujuan aku tulis panjang lebar is not to antagonize anyone. Even though kat forum aku tau ada golongan yang tak puas ati ngan apa aku katakan.
    Thank you those like Faizal Tahir,Dayang Nurfaizah and even M. Nasir yang talked to me among others. Not all my points everyone would agree on. But I know that they know too most of what I say above has weight and has to be considered.
    We are all fighting for the same thing - but maybe in different ways. Bottomline is - let's save the Malaysian music industry!
    My stand at klubbkidd.blogdrive.com is that we have to support our music. But let's not lose everything in doing it.
    Don't cut your nose to spite your face.

    and the worse thing? nama muzik melayu, tapi dengki sangat nak judge by geographical borders.

    ReplyDelete
  52. why just stop at indonesian, might as well apply the quota for american/british/hindustani/foreign music and movies as well.

    wake up, it's a borderless world now. even people are selling and promoting their stuff on the internet - myspace, itunes.

    is it any wonder malacca crumbled and was colonized over and over? these people have not learned a thing about the changing world.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Anonymous9:02 pm

    Rocky bro,

    we new generation is not like what you thought. Your entry is so like 50's and 60's kind of era, sorry to say.

    Most of us would listen to what radio plays and then only we search the sound that we heard at the internet. Very fewer of us who actually bought the whole CD. So yess, the radio plays a big role in cultivating the Indonesian songs in our mind.

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  54. Anonymous10:22 pm

    Salam Bro with permission,

    ###Wirewe new generation is not like what you thought.Your entry is so like 50's and 60's kind of erad generation!,

    Dont be an arrogant b*****d!!
    We develop it for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Anonymous12:15 am

    Bru,

    Kalau kita pandai orang akan ambik kita bekerja. macam tu juga dengam artist ni. kalau dia orang bagus, sudah tentu ada orang sudi untuk sponsor concert. Kalau bagus orang akan bagi lebih airtime. Kalau bagus, semua orang akan dengar lagua dia.
    Apa nak quota quota ni. Takkan tak mampu nak bersaing dengan artis luar. Adakah artist kita ni no class sampai nak minta protection...jadi laughing stock je. P Ramlee dulu mana ada protection.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Anonymous10:35 am

    theres one song i keep singging,,,,,,,,,,anak kecil main api...

    jbranger

    ReplyDelete
  57. Anonymous11:10 am

    kok mau disekat2...
    musik msia juga bisa ke indo deh..pokoknya do your marketing di sana juga..
    jangan disalahin penyiarnya..penyiar hanya puntarkan lagu yang mau didengarin deh..

    jajanjohorbahru

    ReplyDelete
  58. Anonymous5:27 pm

    Aiseh, i switch off radio. As long Mawi is around croaking, I will switch my radio off. How to compete la with international artists when we keep producing toads like Mawi.

    (saya suka Carefree)

    ReplyDelete
  59. Anonymous9:41 pm

    By the way, M. Nasir performed music for Barisan Nasional in Permatang Pauh:

    http://chegubard.blogspot.com/2008/08/gambar-dan-ulasan-isu-ringkas.html

    ReplyDelete
  60. Anonymous2:23 pm

    If out local artistes want to have more airtime and have a bigger piece of the local music pie, they should start by learning a bit about the principle of economics.

    As everyone know by now (if you didn't know before), 10% of Malaysia's population pays for all the taxes, while 90% of the population enjoy the taxes paid by this 10% of the population.

    It is also this 10% who pays all of Malaysia's taxes, who pay for all the advertisements that keep the radio station operating.

    However 100% of our local artiste produces songs that appeals to the other 90% of the population, and therefore alienating the 10% who are paying for the radio stations' advertisements.

    Do you think the radio stations would kill themselves by playing songs that appeal to the 90% 'non-paying' customers and risk losing their bread and butter?

    Fundamental economics my dear local artistes, fundamental economics.

    TheTruthAndNothingButTheTruth

    ReplyDelete
  61. Anonymous1:12 am

    indonesia dont have any protection to their song....
    if malaysian singers want to sing in indonesia, we all welcome.....

    ReplyDelete